U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has forcefully defended a controversial military operation in the Caribbean, stating he would have authorized a second airstrike that killed survivors of an alleged drug-running vessel. The incident has ignited a fierce debate in Washington, with some lawmakers accusing the Pentagon of potential war crimes.
Doubling Down on Deadly Policy
Speaking at the Reagan Defence Forum in Simi Valley, California on Saturday, December 7, 2024, Hegseth expressed his full support for the strike. "From what I understood then and what I understand now, I fully support that strike," Hegseth stated. "I would have made the same call myself." This marked a stronger stance than earlier in the week, when he appeared to place responsibility for the decision on Admiral Frank Bradley, who ordered the follow-up attack.
The policy in question involves U.S. forces sinking boats and killing individuals suspected of drug trafficking, whom the administration designates as enemy combatants rather than criminals. Hegseth praised this approach, framing it as a necessary measure against a severe threat. "The days in which these narco-terrorists, designated terror organizations, operate freely in our hemisphere are over," he declared. "These narco-terrorists are the al-Qaeda of our hemisphere."
Bipartisan Scrutiny and War Crime Allegations
The incident under scrutiny occurred in September. Reports indicate that after an initial airstrike on a boat off the Venezuelan coast, a second strike was ordered targeting two survivors who were clinging to the wreckage. This detail has prompted outrage and serious legal questions.
Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, an Army combat veteran, was blunt in her assessment during an appearance on CNN's State of the Union. "You had two survivors clinging to half of a boat, and then you went in and you killed them," she said. "That's a war crime." Duckworth and other lawmakers have demanded the full video footage of the attack, which was shown to some members of Congress.
While President Donald Trump has said he would allow the video's public release, Hegseth indicated the Pentagon is reviewing it and declined to commit to making the complete footage public. The nearly two dozen similar strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific are now under bipartisan review, questioning their legality and whether the vessels were truly bound for the United States.
Congressional Hearings Promised
The political fallout is mounting. Republican Senator John Curtis of Utah, who leads the Western Hemisphere subcommittee on the Foreign Relations panel, pledged on the same CNN program that Congress would hold hearings to investigate the strikes. "I think Congress really wants to know exactly what's happening and the real facts, not what's reported in the newspaper," Curtis stated.
This controversy places the administration's aggressive counter-narcotics tactics under an international spotlight, balancing claims of national security against stringent laws of armed conflict. The outcome of the promised congressional investigations could have significant implications for future military operations in the region.
